‘OH my God!! How could people be so wicked? This is in a world where people profess to know God. Imagine what would have been happening if there was no God at all. At least the fear of God is restraining some people,” sighed Ebuka in the Apapa-bound commuter bus as the Nyanya, Abuja bombing photos were displayed by newspaper vendors.

‘HOW could these people feel comfortable going about their normal businesses with this fire raging on the mountain? It’s like a man whose house is on fire but he is busy chasing rats. I mean it’s not done!

“Please spare us all the balderdash. Every day, they keep reeling out figures they manufactured to deceive us; all words and no tangible action,” hissed Joe, a commuter in the CMS-bound bus as a radio presenter said that Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had projected 6.75 per cent growth for the economy in 2014.

What would have prompted two friends, one of them an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC and the other, an official of Nigeria Customs Service to throw caution to the wind to beat an innocent civilian to death?

IT was a beautiful Saturday morning in the CMS-bound vehicle; a man was vigorously trying to market a book on dreams and interpretation. “Buy this book and deliver yourself from the clutches of Satan. Stop running from pillar to post when you have a nightmare. You can interpret your dreams by yourself and say the relevant prayers to cancel bad dreams.

I said it. I knew it would come to this,” shouted a commuter by name, Jossy, in the Oshodi-bound commercial bus this Sunday morning as the newscaster told of how many people died while many more were injured during the Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment exam held last Saturday across the country.

Reports said that the soldiers who could have helped those innocent children at Federal Government College Buni Yadi, were called off a day before the attack. The question is: why and who gave the orders?” asked Tim.

‘DID you read the interview of an ex-Boko Haram member named Nasir Isiaku? He said they used to kill Christians because they believe that by killing them, they will enter heaven at death? Their leaders told them the Quran said they should kill their enemies – Christians. He said their sponsors are wealthy Nigerians, some in government, and many are past leaders. Among them are governors and senators who sponsor them heavily. He even mentioned names but they were withheld. He said they have infiltrated the armed forces and those members help them a lot whenever they want to fight,” narrated lyke.
“We still have a very long way to go. Imagine them telling the President to change his religion because they see him as inferior to them, so he is not fit to lead them. Imagine the insolence! Recently, one Sheikh Abdulkadir Ahmed called during a Radio Nigeria programme to say that the only thing that will stop Boko Haram and return peace to Nigeria is if only Northerners are allowed to contest the 2015 presidential election. I was flabbergasted,” said Tim.
Said Julia: “Yeah, I heard the story. He even went further to tell us who and who should contest on what platform: PDP – Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; APC -Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari; PDM – Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and VOP (Voice of the People) – Alhaji Sule Lamido.”

Right to contest elections

“Oh, he is way behind the times. All these people have changed parties. So the Southerners no longer have any right to contest elections? I just dey laugh. They should not forget that no one has the monopoly of violence. If a Northerner becomes president in 2015, the Niger-Delta guys will unleash their own brand of terror on the nation so they better think well,” cautioned Ade.
Said Florence: “Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger State said recently that ‘the situation has gone beyond the normal pattern that we gave to Boko Haram and I think we need to really appreciate the gravity of the situation’. Just imagine that!”
“What? The pattern they gave Boko? Tell me you are kidding…” shouted Tim, mouth agape. “He said it. He was not misquoted at all,” insisted Florence.
Said Tim: “The implication is that they, the Northern governors and the elite, are the ones sponsoring Boko Haram terrorists and the relationship has kind of gone sour and the dogs are now attacking their owners…pay back time!”
“Water don pass garri’. No wonder they are all condemning the terrorists now, right, left and centre. So it was okay for them to kill Southerners and Christians and moderate Moslems? Whatever a man sows, he will surely reap! The Bible was very clear on that,” said Ade.
“I don’t think that was what the man meant. I think it was a case of grammar not well constructed. No right thinking person would make such a statement. He may have been saying that the Boko guys have deviated from the pattern they were known to follow,” noted Julia. “He meant exactly what he said! It’s divine intervention. God is in the matter now and true confessions will continue to flow. First was the season of open letters and now this! Nigeria must be saved from all the vampires holding her by the jugular. The blood of all those innocent people murdered in cold blood is crying out for vengeance,” said Florence.
“I feel the Federal Government should engage the services of the international community. These guys are terrorists and not just armed robbers or kidnappers,” submitted Julia.
Continues next week

‘Did you read the interview of an ex-Boko Haram member named Nasir Isiaku? He said they used to kill Christians because they believe that by killing them, they will enter heaven at death? Their leaders told them the Quran said they should kill their enemies – Christians.

‘These guys are becoming bolder and bolder by the day. The killings are getting out of hand,” commented Florence in the Apapa-bound commercial vehicle as the vehicle crawled slowly through the usual early morning traffic.

Hmm, I thought we have passed this stage,” lamented a commuter by name John, in the Oshodi-bound commercial vehicle as a Police van drove past and came to an abrupt stop in front of the bus as the bus driver stopped at the bus-stop so that some passengers could alight.

“This year will be more difficult than last year – economically and financially going by the indices we are working with. There will be fewer jobs, decrease in oil price, the economy will be down and the polity will be heated up. We don’t need to deceive ourselves,” said Austin this Tuesday morning as the vehicle inched its way in the usual Lagos traffic.

‘OH please spare us,” shouted a commuter by name, Frank in the Apapa-bound bus to no one in particular as he read a story in one of the national dailies. Other commuters in the bus were taken aback and looked questioningly at him. “Na Lai Mohammed, the APC spokesman.

“Obj is an attention seeker, no doubt. He wants us to know he is still alive and well. He has written letters to almost all the ex-leaders, not just Jonathan. He writes when he feels things are going wrong. So as the headmaster of this great school called Nigeria, he has to act,” noted Edith

“Aha, this is more like it! I like this photo of GEJ. For once, let him be serious, no smiling,” said a commuter, by name Akan, in the Oshodi-bound bus as he displayed a photo of President Jonathan in a national daily for all to see.

MANY Nigerians are often quick to blame government for their travails, which they readily attribute to the failings associated with a faulty system. As far as they are concerned, the postulation of the late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, that the problems of Nigeria are traceable to poor leadership, holds true in most cases, including the most trivial.

It was as if commuters in the CMS-bound commuter bus this Tuesday morning, unanimously decided to create their own happiness despite the heart-rending news items bombarding them from all directions in the past couple of weeks as they laughed all the way to the final bus-stop.

Come, are we progressing or retrogressing? asked a perplexed Iyke, a commuter in the Apapa-bound bus as a young girl walked up to the commuter bus at Oshodi-Oke busstop hawking her wares which included potato chips.

“Gone are the days when teachers believed that their reward is in heaven. They want their reward here and now or they take it by force,” commented Bassey this Monday morning as the commuter bus crawled along with other vehicles in the early morning showers along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. “Why should their reward be in heaven when they work on earth? They have been deceived for so long but now, they know better having seen the way politicians spend our money,” replied Abe.

‘Ah! This life is full of ups and downs!” exclaimed Idowu in the Ikeja-bound commercial bus as he listened to the music of a popular female Igbo gospel artist coming from the sound system in the commuter bus.

‘There is a saying in Igbo that a well-travelled man is wiser than a grey-haired man. You don’t just sit in the comfort of your zone or state and believe all the trash about others. These guys are just playing politics, using us to make themselves relevant. Nigerians should be wise. The ordinary Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik or Ijaw man on the street does not give a hoot where his neighbour comes from because the two are going through the same deprivations,” said Ada.

Truly speaking, we have a very, very long way to go as a people,” commented Iyke as the commuter bus glided through the surprisingly light traffic along the Oshodi – Oworonshoki road, en route to Obalende via Third Mainland Bridge. “Everything is just wrong! We are specialists in the copy and paste business, yet, we have not been able to copy the western world correctly.”

’WHY was the Senate against local government autonomy? The House of Representatives recognised the local government as a full tier of government, so why did the Senate choose to become a clog in the wheel of progress?” asked Idowu in the CMS-bound commuter bus.

“What is wrong with these lecturers sef? Are they the only civil servants in Nigeria? Why would they continue to hold us to ransom with their incessant strike actions?” queried Dapo, really looking vexed. The traffic that had come to a stand-still this Friday evening along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway must have added to his annoyance.

Shebi when some people say most of these crises in Nigeria are being championed by foreigners, we shout them down. I think they are being vindicated somehow,” said Jane this Tuesday evening as the commuter bus made its way through traffic on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway occasioned by the weekly Aswani market.

Even in their anger and frustration, there is still a very high sense of humour noticeable amongst Nigerians. In the usual maddening Lagos traffic, one could hear both drivers and passengers raining abuses on one another, calling themselves some funny names in a manner of venting their anger.

I get sick to the pit of my stomach when I hear what Nigerians do in the name of religion,” said Mercy in the Oshodi-bound commuter bus as a radio presenter narrated how a couple was arrested for defrauding a man of over $13,000 and N500,000 in the name of delivering him from evil spirits. “This is sheer madness.”